Editorial | Li Qiang’s three-nation tour to repair and deepen China ties has positive results
- Stops by Chinese premier in New Zealand and Australia were partly to manage differences, but Malaysia visit strengthened relations
Premier Li Qiang has wrapped up a three-nation tour in Malaysia, which wants to deepen ties without taking sides between China and the United States. The visit celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations between Beijing and Kuala Lumpur.
This followed stops by Li in New Zealand and Australia, where the focus was partly on managing differences, especially with the latter. Li’s visit to Australia was the first by a Chinese premier since bilateral relations soured in 2017.
Repairs that began with the visit to Beijing by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last year continued in Canberra. Declaring the relationship back on track after “twists and turns”, Li called for the two sides to shelve differences, but Albanese said disagreements could not be made to disappear by making them taboo subjects.
These sentiments resonated with the language of official accounts of the men’s meeting, including “candid” exchanges and “properly managing differences”.
“Twists and turns” in the relationship refers to Beijing’s annoyance with Australian laws against foreign interference seen as targeting China, anger over Canberra’s call for an independent inquiry into the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, and China’s retaliatory bans on a range of Australian products. Almost all of these bans have been lifted recently – hence Li’s reference to ties being back on track.
